African heads urged to address governance, devt issues

Some governance experts have urged African governments to fashion out comprehensive long-term development strategies that address political governance, economic inequalities and sustainable development.

They cautioned African governments not to put all hopes on reparations, but to instead, find solutions to the various issues that undermine development on the continent.

The experts said although reparations to Africa were important to assuage the emotional wounds of Africa, they must not put their hopes in it.

These academics expressed the views in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic following the recent call by President John Mahama at the 38th African Union summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for adequate compensation in terms of reparations to Africa for the trauma and injustice inflicted by colonisation, the slave trade and related actions on the continent.

They are the Head of the Department of Political Science at the University for Development Studies, Dr Gbensuglo Alidu Bukari, a governance fellow at the Institute for Economic Affairs, Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa, and a Political Science Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Gilbert Arhinful Aidoo.

“President Mahama’s call for reparations to Africa as compensation for colonisation and its associated injustices marks a significant and timely contribution to a longstanding global debate within the political and economic governance discourse,” Dr Bukari said.

“This demand is deeply rooted in the historical exploitation, enslavement and colonisation of Africa, which have left enduring scars on the continent's economic, social and political fabric,” he added.

Dr Bukari, however, stressed that reparations alone were unlikely to fully resolve Africa's complex economic and governance issues.

Dr Darkwa, on the other hand, said the challenges facing African nations were not solely financial, and that unfair global trade practices, reinforced by institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, continued to undermine African economies.

He said acknowledging the wrongs of colonisation, exploitation, slavery and other injustices was crucial, as reparations could provide much-needed funding for essential sectors such as education, health care and infrastructure, fostering long-term development.

“While countries such as Germany and the UK have made attempts at compensating for past injustices, the conversation surrounding reparations for Africa must extend beyond simple financial compensation. It must address the deeper, systemic inequities that continue to hold back the continent's progress,” Dr Darkwa said.

Reforms

While agreeing that the trans-Atlantic slave trade, for instance, has had a lasting impact on Africa, Mr Arhinful Aidoo said the continent’s economic challenges were multifaceted and required more than financial compensation.

“Structural issues such as corruption, weak institutions, and reliance on raw material exports must also be addressed. Diversifying economies, investing in human capital, and fostering regional integration are crucial for sustainable development.

Reparations could provide a financial boost, but they must be complemented by systemic reforms and good governance across the continent,” he said.

“Additionally, the global economic system, which often disadvantages African nations through unfair trade and other practices as well as the debt burdens, needs serious structural reform.

Reparations should be part of a broader strategy that includes fair trade agreements, debt reliefs and increased investment in African industries,” he added.

Mr Arhinful Aidoo said African leaders must also strive to reduce their own overdependence on the “goodwill” of external donors, adding that African leaders should work toward improving upon the human resource quality, as well as equipping themselves with the necessary modern technologies to enable them to fully exploit and better manage their own resources in order to end present day neocolonialism, which he described as the worst form of colonisation.

“In fact, there should be deliberate efforts toward improving African agency on the global stage so as to better position the continent to fully benefit from its resources and other international arrangements for the betterment of the masses of the African people.